What Cowboys officials called a "left groin strain" by Smith on the
opening play of Sunday's game against Philadelphia resulted in diminished
leg strength for the running back.

"Honestly, I don't know what you would label it," Smith said Thursday
of his injury. "`Groin' is the particular area it's in ... but it's muscle,
it's tissue. I still have some soreness in the leg, though some of the
strength has come back."

Smith, in his first practice this week, was limited strictly to individual
instead of team drills.

"He was limited in what he did in practice today because he already
had gotten some therapy before he went outside," said Maurer. "Sometimes
it doesn't work out just right where a player isn't able to get treatment
and fullæ practice both in.

Maurer was optimistic that Smith could be ready to play against the
Jets.

"Emmitt has shown improvement every day," Maurer said. "It is a groin
strain. That's where it is - `groinæ and `strain' does mean that
it's muscular in nature."

The player said he views his "questionable" playing status for only
the Jets game, not for the New Orleans and New York Giants games to follow.

Against the Eagles, Warren had almost 30 percent of his season's carries
- 25 for 92 yards - and caught four passes for more than 25 percent of
his season's receiving

Gailey said Sanders would be listed as probable.

"He's still sick," the coach said. "He practiced, but you could tell
he was not all there. He was struggling through everything because he was
a little weak."

Gailey hasn't decided whether he'll be able to play receiver Ernie Mills
or offensive linemen Larry Allen and Mark Stepnoski. None worked out in
team drills.

Youth, men's hoop sign-ups underway

PECOS, Dec. 17, 1999 -- The Reeves County Community Sports and Recreation
Department is forming both men's and youth basketball leagues, which will
begin play early next year.

Registration forms for the men's league can be picked up at the RCCRD
office in the old Pecos High School gym weekdays between 5 and 9 p.m. and
from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays. Registration will continue through
Jan. 7, according to Recreation Department director Nora Geron.

Registration for the PeeWee Basketball Leagues also can be done between
5 and 9 p.m. weekdays, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays at the RCCRD office.
The games will begin after the high school basketball seasons end in February.

The PeeWee leagues are open to boys and girls ages 5 through 10 with
a deadline to sign up of Jan. 28. Geron said anyone who signs up before
Jan. 7 will receive five weeks of ball handling and basic fundamentals
before they start playing in regular games.

For further information on either league, call the recreation department
at 447-9776.